A man was gunned down by suspected Maoists at a busy market place in Lanjigarh area of Odisha's Kalahandi district, police said today.
Two suspected red rebels struck at the weekly market in Trilochanpur yesterday and opened fire at the victim, identified as Laxminarayan Pattnaik from close range, Kalahandi Superintendent of Police Brijesh Kumar Rai said.
While the assailants fled leaving some leaflets at the site, Pattnaik died on the spot sparking tension in the area, police said, adding that the leaflets accused the deceased of functioning as an informer for the police.
Incidentally in July, 2011 the elder brother of the deceased had also been murdered by Maoist cadres near this very spot, sources said.
Similarly on January 20, 2015 suspected Maoists burnt a vehicle carrying mid-day meal and escaped with food and containers in the area.
Police personnel have been sent to the area and combing operation was stepped up to nab the assailants, police said.
